Hawaii Selects B-Cycle for Bike Sharing

“We are very excited about this new health initiative pilot in Hawaii,” said Heidi Hansen-Smith, community outreach coordinator for the Healthy Hawaii Initiative. “Active transportation, including bike riding, is a great way to get the recommended amount of physical activity into the day and also helps to prevent chronic disease and combat obesity.”

The B-cycle system will be installed in partnership with Momentum MultiSport, a local bicycle retailer, and is expected to be operational in December, 2010. “I am really excited that we can bring hi-tech bike sharing to Kailua, and we hope to expand the program to all of Hawaii,” said Nguyen Le, owner of Momentum. “Bike sharing has been shown to be an integral part of transportation choices in other towns and cities in the U.S. and internationally."

The B-cycle system consists of the B-cycle and the B-station. The B-cycle is a robust, rugged and easy-to-use high-tech bike that features wide tires, comfortable seats, and an adjustable design to accommodate most anyone. The B-station features secure locking mechanisms to protect against theft and integrates other technology to guard against vandalism and ensure the long-term durability of the bikes. The B-cycle system can measure and track various parameters of usage including miles ridden, calories burned, and carbon off-set. Such statistics can be tracked by individual users at their own unique Hawaii B-cycle membership Web site.